Retractable screen with horizontal tensioning track and vertical biasing member

Abstract

A retractable screen device for a framed opening employing a frame track fastened to each side support of the framed opening; the frame track forming a compartment for receipt of a guide rail with a decompression gasket positioned between the frame track and the guide rail. A screen mounted on a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft secured to a header of the opening has laterally opposed side edges with an elongated flexible protrusion secured along the length of each side edge. The guide rail receives and guides the screen protrusion along a longitudinal direction, and the decompression gasket allows the guide rail to traverse the frame track side walls to permit the screen to flex while maintaining a consistent tension on the screen. Vertical tension adjustment is provided by use of a biasing member coupled to the center axle that activates when the screen is deployed.

Claims

1. A retractable screen device for a framed opening, said framed opening defined by a header, opposing side supports, and a bottom, said retractable screen device comprising: a frame track fastened to each side support, said frame track forming a compartment defined by a rear wall having a front receptacle, opposing side walls having a depth, and a front wall having a centrally disposed access channel extending the longitudinal length of said frame track; a guide rail positioned within said compartment of each frame track extending said longitudinal length of each said frame track, said guide rail having a front chamber axially aligned with said centrally disposed channel and a rear receptacle extending the longitudinal length of said guide rail with opposing side walls having a depth; a decompression gasket formed from a first wall having an inner surface and outer surface bounded by a first side edge and a second side edge extending the length of said guide rail, said outer surface having a tab member securable to said first receptacle of said frame track, and a second wall forming a mirror image of said first wall sharing said first side edge and said second side edge with said second wall tab member securable to said second receptacle of said guide rail, said decompression gasket providing resistance with said tab of said first wall member spaced apart from said tab member of said second wall member; a screen having a length configured to be wound onto and deployed from a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft secured to said header, said screen having laterally opposed side edges with an elongated flexible protrusion secured along the length of each said side edge; wherein said guide rail front chamber is constructed and arranged to receive and guide said screen flexible protrusion along a longitudinal direction and said decompression gasket allows said guide rail to traverse said frame track side walls to permit said screen to flex while maintaining a consistent tension on said screen by resisting the spacing of said tab members.

2. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein said support is constructed of aluminum having a compartment first depth that is greater than said guide rail depth.

3. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein said decompression gasket is formed of rubber, silicon, PVC flexible material.

4. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein said decompression gasket first inner wall is juxtaposed to said second inner wall in a normally unbiased position and provides a biasing member upon spacing apart of said first and second inner wall.

5. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein said protrusion is constructed from PVC.

6. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein each said frame track forms a mirror image of an opposing frame track.

7. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein each said guide rail forms a mirror image of an opposing guide rail.

8. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein said guide rail is constructed from a molded synthetic resin.

9. The retractable screen device according to claim 1 wherein the pulling of the decompression gasket increases the distance between the first and second walls, providing a tension to said screen to eliminate screen wrinkles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the retractable screen device;

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the retractable screen device without pressure applied to the screen;

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the retractable screen device with pressure applied to the screen

(4) FIG. 4A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with a screen retracted with the bottom lift bar level to the opening;

(5) FIG. 4B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with the screen deployed and the bottom lift bar adjusted to a level floor;

(6) FIG. 5A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with a screen retracted with the bottom lift bar level to the opening;

(7) FIG. 5B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with the screen deployed and the bottom lift bar adjusted to a floor surface that is pitching down from left to right;

(8) FIG. 6A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with a screen retracted with the bottom lift bar level to the opening;

(9) FIG. 6B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with the screen deployed and the bottom lift bar adjusts to a floor surface that is pitching down from right to left;

(10) FIG. 7A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with a screen retracted with the bottom lift bar level to the opening;

(11) FIG. 7B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with the screen deployed and the bottom lift bar adjusts to a floor surface that is crowning up at the center.

(12) FIG. 8A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with a screen retracted with the bottom lift bar level to the opening;

(13) FIG. 8B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening with the screen deployed and the bottom lift bar adjusts to a floor surface that is dipping down at the center;

(14) FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view illustrating a screen wrapped around a center axle;

(15) FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view illustrating a screen wrapped around the center axle with the self-leveling device partially decompressed; and

(16) FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view illustrating a screen wrapped around the center axle with the “self-leveling device” fully decompressed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(17) While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred, albeit not limiting, embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.

(18) Referring generally to the Figures, disclosed is a retractable screen device 10 for a framed opening defined by a header 100 with side supports 102 and 104 bounded by a bottom or floor 106. The retractable screen device 10 is further defined by a first frame track 12 fastened to a side support 102, a second frame track 14 fastened to a side support 104, and a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft 15 fastened to the framed opening header 100. The screen 32, having a length configured to extend between the header 100 and the floor 106, is wound onto and deployed from the horizontally disposed rotatable shaft 15. The screen 32 has laterally opposed side edges 36 and 38 constructed and arranged to be slidably engaged with the first and second frame tracks 12, 14.

(19) The first frame track 12 and second frame track 14 form compartments 20 and 22 for receipt of guide rails 24 and 26, with decompression gaskets 28 and 30 positioned between the frame tracks 12 and 14 and the guide rails 24 and 26. The screen 32 has laterally opposed side edges 36 and 38 with elongated flexible protrusions 40 and 42 secured along the length of each side edge 36 and 38. The guide rails 24 and 26 receive and guide the screen protrusions 40 and 42 along a longitudinal direction. In the preferred embodiment, the guide rails 24 and 26 are constructed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or a molded synthetic resin which provides a near frictionless engagement with the elongated flexible protrusions 40 and 42, which are also constructed from plastic, nylon or the like material that is inherently friction reduced with PVC.

(20) The decompression gaskets 28 and 30 allow the guide rails 24 and 26 to traverse the frame track side walls 44, 46, 48 and 50 to permit the screen 32 to flex while maintaining a consistent tension on the screen.

(21) Decompression gaskets 28 and 30 are formed from rubber, silicon, PVC or the like flexible sealing material having first walls 51 and 52 with inner surfaces 54 and 56 and outer surfaces 58 and 60 bounded by first side edges 62 and 64 and second side edges 66 and 68 extending the length of said guide rails 24 and 26. The outer surfaces 58 and 60 having tab members 70 and 72 securable to the first receptacles 74 and 76 of the frame tracks 12 and 14, and second walls 78 and 80 forming a mirror image of the first walls 51 and 52 sharing the first side edges 62 and 64 and the second side edges 66 and 68 with second wall tab members 82 and 84 securable to the second receptacles 86 and 88 of guide rails 24 and 26. The decompression gaskets 28 and 30 provide resistance when the tab members 70 and 72 of the first wall members 51 and 52 are spaced apart from tab members 82 and 84 of the second wall members 78 and 80.

(22) Guide rail front chambers 20 and 22 are constructed and arranged to receive and guide the screen flexible protrusions 40 and 42 along a longitudinal direction. Decompression gaskets 28 and 30 allow the guide rails 24 and 26 to traverse the frame track side walls 44, 46, 48 and 50 to permit the screen 32 to flex while maintaining a consistent tension on the screen by resisting the spacing of tab members 70, 72 and 82, 84.

(23) To keep the screen taunt, rubber or the like material is attached to the center axle that the screen wraps around so as to apply even pressure across the entire width of the screen. If any area of the screen touches the floor, a biasing means would adjust the pressure for that area and to keep the screen tight. The following figures refer to illustrations depicting how the mechanism would function.

(24) FIG. 4A is a pictorial view that illustrates an opening 150 for a building 152 with a screen 154 retracted around an axle 156. A bottom lift bar 158 is shown level to the opening 150.

(25) FIG. 4B is a pictorial view that illustrates the opening 150 with the screen 154 deployed and the bottom lift bar 158 adjusted to a level floor 159. The tension on the screen 156 remains constant across the entire width by use of a biasing means that provides a self-leveling.

(26) FIG. 5A is a pictorial view that illustrates an opening 160 for a building 162 with a screen 164 retracted around an axle 166. A bottom lift bar 168 is shown level to the opening 160.

(27) FIG. 5B is a pictorial that illustrates the opening 160 with the screen 164 deployed and the bottom lift bar 168 adjusted to a floor surface 169 that is pitching down from left to right. The tension on the biasing means self-leveling device raises the screen on the left 161 and allows the screen on the right 163 to meet with the floor surface 169.

(28) FIG. 6A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening 170 for a building 172 with a screen 174 retracted around an axle 176. A bottom lift bar 178 is shown level to the opening 170.

(29) FIG. 6B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening 170 with the screen 174 deployed and the bottom lift bar 178 adjusts to a floor surface 179 that is pitching down from right 173 to left 171. The tension on the biasing means self-leveling device raises the screen 174 on the right 173 and allows the screen on the left 171 to meet with the floor surface 179.

(30) FIG. 7A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening 180 for a building 182 with a screen 184 retracted around an axle 186. A bottom lift bar 188 is shown level to the opening 180.

(31) FIG. 7B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening 180 with the screen 184 deployed and the bottom lift bar 188 and the bottom lift bar 188 adjusts to a floor surface 189 that has a crown 187 defined between the left side 181 and the right side 183. The tension on the biasing means self-leveling device raises the screen 184 in the center and allows the screen on the left 181 and right 183 to meet the floor 189.

(32) FIG. 8A is a pictorial that illustrates an opening 190 for a building 192 with a screen 194 retracted around an axle 196. A bottom lift bar 198 is shown level to the opening 190.

(33) FIG. 8B is a pictorial that illustrates an opening 190 with the screen 194 deployed and the bottom lift bar 198 adjusts to a floor surface that has a dip 197 at the center. The tension on the biasing means self-leveling device raises the screen on the left 191 and right 193 allowing the screen in the center to meet with the floor surface 199.

(34) FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view illustrating a screen 200 wrapped around a center axle 202. An end 204 of the screen 204 is coupled to the center axle by use of a receptacle 206 or the like attachment. The weight of the lift bar, as illustrated in the previous illustrations causing the biasing means self-leveling device 210 to compress and also wrap around the center axle. The biasing means 210 having a first side edge 212 coupled to the center axle and a second side edge 214 spaced apart from the first sided edge 212 a predetermined distance based upon the type of material used in the biasing member. In this embodiment the biasing means 210 second side edge 214 fits within an axle 202 having an indentation 216 that allows the screen 200 to smoothly wrap around the axle 202. The biasing means self-leveling device 210 is preferably constructed from a piece of flexible rubber. Alternatively, the biasing means can be PVC flexible plastic, silicon, spring steel, a combination thereof, or any other material capable of providing an even spring like tension to the screen.

(35) FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view illustrating the screen wrapped around the center axle 202 with the biasing means self-leveling device partially decompressed. In this illustration the screen 200 is wrapped around center axle 202 and when the lift bar, not shown, meets the floor surface the biasing means 210 partially decompresses and raise the screen 200 to maintain even tension across the entire width of the unit.

(36) FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view illustrating the screen 200 wrapped around the center axle 202 with the biasing means 210 fully decompressed, the second end 214 extending outward to provide maximum but even tension across the entire width of the unit.

(37) The term “coupled” is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more or at least one.” The term “about” means, in general, the stated value plus or minus 5%. The use of the term or in the claims is used to mean “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternative are mutually exclusive, although the disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternatives and “and/or.”

(38) The terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a method or device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more steps or elements, possesses those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Likewise, a step of a method or an element of a device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more features, possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features. Furthermore, a device or structure that is configured in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.

(39) All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

(40) It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein.

(41) One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary, and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirt of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should be unduly limited such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.